Grace & Gumption
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Boldly Singing “Son”
We sang “Be Thou My Vision” last week at church and, as always, I was curious to see which version of the second verse we would use. The traditional verse reads: Be thou my vision, and thou my true Word;I ever with thee, and thou with me, Lord.Thou my great Father and I thy true Continue reading
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Why Say the Lord’s Prayer Together?
At the church where I work, we say the Lord’s Prayer every Sunday as a key part of the liturgy. At the church where I am a member and my husband is Lead Pastor, we have started saying the Lord’s Prayer as a way to conclude our services. This has been met with mostly positive Continue reading
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The Worst Parts of Church Are Why You Need to Go
I recently watched a truly outstanding church live-stream. The camerawork captured the lighting and staging so well that my first thought was, “There is no way the in-person experience is as good as this.” Even the music—notoriously tough to transmit online—was stellar. It was as clear through the speakers of my TV as it would Continue reading
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Why I’m Hopeful About My Chronological Bible
Here’s a confession: I am terrible at following Bible reading plans. I am always digging into scripture, but I rarely stick to prescribed reading plans. I’ve tried over and over and always end up feeling guilty, even though obeying a “Bible in a year” plan is not mandatory. It’s good. It’s not required. In December, Continue reading
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Doing Death Together
Maybe it’s because it’s Lent or maybe because I played for a funeral on Saturday, but I’ve been thinking a lot about death. Okay, actually, I think that’s just my personality. I’m a joyfully melancholic person with a bent toward the Medieval. Memento mori (“remember that you must die”) has always been more appealing to Continue reading
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Make Christian Nonfiction Beautiful Again
Yesterday, several people asked me what I was reading. When I replied, “Abraham Kuyper’s The Work of the Holy Spirit” and showed them this thick treasure-trove of a tome, there were two basic responses: 1) nodding and backing away as though Reformed theology is contagious and 2) an appreciative nod accompanied by some comment that Continue reading
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Why I Moved to Iowa
I was asked today how I knew moving to Iowa was the right choice. This picture is the closest I can come to an answer. In June 2021, two weeks before our wedding, Billy and I visited Iowa for him to interview at Prairie Bible Church and it was one of the worst weekends of Continue reading
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Till We Have Faces – Discussion Questions
A friend and I are reading C.S. Lewis’ Till We Have Faces. This is my third trek through this masterpiece and, upon finishing it this morning, I decided to look up the HarperOne reading guide. The questions on this guide are fine, but seem a bit surface-level for such a mythical, mystical book. So, here Continue reading
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Every Saint a Singer
While recording a podcast earlier this week, I was asked: “Are all Christians required to sing?” I replied that yes, scripture indicates as much. Not every believer is called to music ministry as a vocation, but every saint is, fundamentally, a singer. The calls to song that punctuate scripture are not only directed to all Continue reading
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The Spirit Moves in Mysterious Ways…and then other times the Spirit is VERY Clear
This title really says it all. Yesterday, I had a moment of angst. I was hard at work on my book proposal when my laptop began to act up again. I’ve been ignoring its quirks for months now and, finally, had to admit it was time for an update. My workflow was disrupted for the Continue reading
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Joyfully, Ryanne
I sign my emails “Joyfully,” which seems ironic. I don’t tend toward cheerfulness when I open my cluttered inbox. Signing my emails this way began as a choice—much like joy. No matter my mood when I type the body of a message, I am forced to rejoice when I sign and send it. The early Continue reading
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Lessons from a First-Year Pastor’s Wife
One year ago yesterday, we closed on our house in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. One year ago tomorrow, our church laid hands upon us, and my husband became a pastor—and I became a pastor’s wife. This year has flown by, and it’s been one of the best yet. I thought my career as a musician was Continue reading
Recent Posts
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- Reblog: Joseph’s Magnificat
- Why I Still Love “Mary, Did You Know?”
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